When the Corpses Sing
by pixelsurgeon
Summary: Peter Bishop: A glass-hearted con man who works in the happiest place on earth. Olivia Dunham: A rather bored Private Investigator who just wants someone to dance with. Add in a missing child and an inventor who isn't quite what he seems, and you have the beginnings of a close to legendary partnership.
1. Blue Moon

**A/N: **So this is set in Walter's bizarre steampunk-y noir universe from 2x20. Extremely AU, I would say it starts a month/few weeks before the events of the episode and would change them completely. I don't own Fringe.

* * *

Olivia Dunham did not particularly want to be disturbed. She was about to call it a caseless and boring day when in came a distraught woman.

It was always a distraught woman.

"What do _you_ want?" Olivia sighed, pouring herself a glass of whiskey.

"My daughter's gone," the woman said, sobbing into Olivia's desk. Olivia took in the black clothes; the woman was probably a widow. And she looked younger than Olivia, definitely far too young to have a daughter.

"How old is she?" Olivia asked.

"Five." The woman looked up at Olivia. "Please, she's so young…"

"Name?"

"Ella, her name's Ella," the woman said.

"Alright. Do you have a picture?"

The woman nodded and handed a small photo to Olivia. This Ella was a very cute little girl, big eyes and a bright smile. That was probably what convinced her.

"Okay, I'll take it. Do you have any idea where she might be?" Olivia asked.

The woman shook her head.

Olivia smiled in spite of herself; this was going to be a challenge.

* * *

Peter Bishop was definitely on the opposite side of the law in that moment.

He had successfully performed a pigeon drop earlier in the day, which was admittedly a crude and not particularly intellectual of parting people from their money, but was effective.

He was rather happy about that, but he always ended up feeling guilty not long after. He worked in the lab of the creator of everything good, but conned people out of their money in his spare time? That just didn't seem right.

But alas, he did what he had to do to get by. Doing good made him feel like the sins of the previous night had been absolved, anyway. Not that absolution really motivated him.

But Walter Bishop was a good man, and Peter wanted to keep his bad deeds hidden as long as possible. Because when that hit the fan it was likely not going to be pretty. Currently the singing corpses were malfunctioning pretty badly and hitting anyone that came near them, so there was always the option of being trapped in a small room with them. (They freaked Peter out even without attacking him, so that would actually be the worst punishment imaginable)

So, back to linear story progression, he wanted to celebrate a successful con.

He hated dancing as a general rule, but he thought he might be able to find someone who he could have a good time with, so he went to a small club in the middle of town.

There were a lot of girls dancing, but the one who stood out to Peter was the only one sitting on the sidelines.

He walked over to her, tilting his fedora over his eyes.

"Why aren't you dancing?" he asked, leaning against a wall.

"No reason," she said. "Just thinking."

"No reason? Really. No reason why a pretty girl like you, who has probably been asked by every guy in the place, wouldn't go out and dance," Peter said, rolling his eyes. "You are a _terrible_ actress, lady."

"I don't like dancing."

"You're lying."

"I'm bad at dancing."

"Still lying. Tell me the truth," Peter said.

"Why would I tell someone who I've never met before and who has a generally shady air about them why I'm not dancing?" she asked.

"Because that man is very charming and attractive, and it's a small secret."

She sighed, visibly caving.

"There are a few reasons. I never find anyone I want to dance with, and I also have other things on my mind," she said.

They're both facing the floor, having not looked at each other this entire time, but this statement caught Peter's attention and he turned to face her.

"What nature of other things?" he asked.

"The sort of other things that you don't tell men too cowardly to show their faces."

"Touché." Peter smiled, removing his hat. He liked this girl quite a bit, she had a nice spark to her. "Now can you tell me?"

"A missing child," she said.

"A missing child? Yours?" Peter asked.

"No." She shook her head. "No, someone else's adorable little girl."

"You a P.I.?" Peter asked.

"Yeah," she said.

"Nice," Peter said. "S'your name, sugar?"

"Olivia. If you call me sugar again I will knock your chubby ass into the middle of the street," she said, finally turning to face him.

Peter laughed.

"I _like_ you," he said.

"Well, that's great, because you have been getting on my nerves," she said.

"I might be able to help you with your case," he said.

"Oh?"

"But first you need to dance with me."

* * *

**A/N: **Please review!


	2. Dancing in the Moonlight

**A/N: **Oh my gosh, guys! Thanks to all my subscribers, you really made my day. So, I think this chapter and the next are going to be the same night, and then I'll get to the action. I'm sure you can understand that I want as much of Peter being charming and Peter-ish as possible;) Still don't own Fringe.

* * *

Olivia felt…

She didn't quite know, actually. But something felt good as that extremely charming and infuriating man took her hand and danced with her.

After the song was over she tried to pull away, but he held tightly to her wrist.

"You never said how many songs," he said, smiling.

"Well, since it was never specified, than I can say now that one was enough," she said. Sure, it made her rather happy to dance with him, but she had a case to work on.

"Can I buy you a drink?" he asked.

"If you tell me your name."

"Peter."

"Last name?"

"You never gave me yours," he said, tilting his head and smirking.

"Fair enough," she said. She wasn't exactly going to give her full name to this 'Peter' guy, so she stayed silent and let him lead her to the bar.

He obviously noticed the silence.

"So your last name is…?" he asked, sitting on a barstool sideways and looking like he was trying far too hard to seduce her.

"Not telling until you help me," she said.

"Well, my boss is Walter Bishop, so…" he said.

She didn't recognize that name, and just shrugged at his 'don't you know him' look.

"He invents the best things you ever did see," Peter said. "Rainbows, stuffed animals, singing corpses…you name it."

"_Singing corpses_?" Olivia asked.

Peter laughed. "Yeah, though don't ask me why. He lives in a world of his own. Are you a scotch kind of girl?"

"I don't think I'll have anything," she said.

"Bull. You will," he said, flashing that charming smile. "I insist."

"So how would this Bishop guy help me find the kid?" Olivia asked.

"He could probably invent something to find her. He's really fast at making prototypes."

"How long?"

"A week, probably," he said.

"That's too long," Olivia said, shaking her head.

"Well, I guess you can't please everyone."

* * *

Peter wasn't about to say he was in love, because he wasn't. But this Olivia, she was a _fireball_.

He had never met anyone so determined, so…so…he didn't know. She had a certain something about her that just made her different from all the other girls.

He really did want to help her, but he didn't know if he could. But what the hell, he was smart. He'd figure something out, he practically had to. He was not about to be forgotten by her.

"Thank you for the offer," she said.

"It doesn't have to be just an offer," he said. "I mean, he could work on it while you take the hard way. And…I could help you take the hard way."

"What qualifies you for investigation?" she asked. Well, scoffed really. So she thought she was better than him, huh? He could fix that.

"Well, I'm quite intelligent," he said. "Good at deductive reasoning, math, science…you name it."

"Assuming that were true, you're not the fittest guy. Wouldn't fare too well in a fight."

Peter flinched. That stung a bit.

"Hey, lady. You ever heard about not judging books by how much they eat?" he asked.

"I don't think I've ever heard it put quite like that," Olivia said, laughing.

"Now you have," he said. "So can I help you or can I buy you a drink? Or both, I'm up for both."

She turned her head away from him, looking like she was thinking hard.

He could almost hear her thoughts: _Do I take the annoying stalker with me everywhere or do I talk to him for just one night?_

So he was rather surprised when her answer was 'both'.

"But if you get too annoying or unhelpful, you're out," she said.

"Deal."

* * *

**A/N: **Please review and I'll return the favor!


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